Peter Jackson project uses restored archive footage to show human experience of war

Archive footage of the first world war has been restored and colourised for a new Peter Jackson film to be shown on the BBC and distributed to every secondary school in the UK.

The Oscar-winning film-maker admitted even he had been surprised by what was possible using the latest technology. “We can make this grainy, flickery, sped-up footage look like it was shot in the last week or two,” he said. “It looks like it was shot with high-definition cameras … it is so sharp and clear now.”